With reference to FIG. 1, showing the prior art, a junction box (including electric boxes) assembly 100 includes a junction box 102 positioned within the wall 105 so that it is generally flush with the outside of the wall 105. The box 102 is exemplified with two tapped screw receivers 104, though it could be configured with one or more than two tapped screw receivers. A cover plate 108 is positioned over the junction box 102 such that holes 106 defined in the plate 108 correspond with and are aligned with the tapped screw receivers 104 on the junction box. Screws 110 are then inserted through the holes 106 of the cover plate 108 and into the tapped screw receivers 104 of the junction box 102 to thereby secure the cover plate 108 to the junction box. While the cover plate 108 is shown as a blank, it may be configured in any of a number of different ways suitable for serving the function intended for the junction box 102, such as an electric junction box, switchbox, coax cable box, audio box, telephone jack box, or the like.
While a cover plate 108 may be readily secured to a junction box 102 in a situation such as depicted in FIG. 1 wherein the junction box is generally flush with the outside of the wall 105, it is common for the wall 105 to be subsequently resurfaced with ceramic tile, granite, or the like that is thicker than the original tile or granite, or for ceramic tile, granite, or the like to be laid on top of the existing wall, or for ceiling fans to be installed with extended housings, all of which result in the junction box being recessed into the wall, perhaps as much as two inches into the wall. In such cases, the function box 102 then becomes recessed within the wall 105 instead of flush with the outside of the wall. When that occurs, the screws 110 that are included with the cover plate are typically not long enough to extend through the holes 106 into the tapped screw receivers 104 to thereby secure the cover plate 108 to the junction box 102. One solution to such a dilemma is to use longer screws that will extend the additional length needed to engage the threaded holes 104 from the cover plate. There are two problems with that, though. First, longer screws are typically not readily available without visiting a hardware store. Second, if such screws are obtained, then, because of the additional distance that the screw has to travel, it is difficult to align the screw 110 with the tapped screw receivers 104.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and apparatus for enabling cover plates to be readily secured to recessed junction boxes.